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A facile method using high performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-ion trap-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-IT-TOF MS) has been established for the analysis of multiple constituents in Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. Six chemical standards including emodin, chrysophanol, physcion, rhein, aloe-emodin and polydatin were studied systematically and their fragmentation pathways were concluded. The methanol extract of Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. was separated and analyzed by HPLC/ESI-QIT-TOF MS system in negative ion mode. A total of 10 constituents were identified or tentatively characterized with supporting results on the fragmentation pathways of 6 chemical standards and relative references. These constituents are mainly anthraquinones, stilbenes, torachryson and their derivatives, including resveratroloside, polydatin, emodin-8-O-glucoside, resveratrol, torachryson-8-O-glucoside, emodin-1-O-glucoside, torachryson-8-O-(6'-acetyl)glucoside (newly discovered), physcion-8-O-glucoside, physcion-8-O-(6'-acetyl)glucoside (newly discovered) and emodin. It is an extremely simple way by using HPLC/ESI-IT-TOF MS to provide chemical information concerning the constituents in herbal medicines and making the identification results more convinced.

Many kinds of flavor compositions exist in Chinese traditional distillate spirits (liquor), including alcohols, aldehydes, organic acids and esters, the ratios of which decide the flavor and quality of the liquor. In general, these components can be analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by gas chromatography. However, the traditional analytical method takes longer analysis time. To shorten the analysis time, a fast gas chromatographic method was developed for analyzing the flavor compositions in Chinese liquors. Good results were obtained using a 20 m x 0.1 mm x 0.1 microm fused-silica capillary column with analysis time within 12 minutes. Moreover, the reproducibility of this method was also very good, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of most components were less than 5% except the acids because of their higher boiling points.

A fast capillary gas chromatographic method for the analysis of saturated paraffin in crude oil and rock extracts is described. By using a 20 m narrow bore capillary column, the analytical time has been shortened to 15 min, 5 times faster in comparison with 80 to 90 min by conventional capillary columns, which resulted in higher throughput, higher efficiency and better separation. The fast method is fully in compliance with the Petroleum Industrial Standard--SY/T5120-1997 and paves the way for the fast analysis of paraffin isomers, such as steroidal paraffin and terpane by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and that of aromatics by gas chromatography.

Objective: To investigate the clinical and neurodevelopmental profiles of patients with biotinidase deficiency and to determine the efficacy of current therapy with respect to outcome., Methods: Six patients aged from 3 months to 14 years with biotinidase deficiency were confirmed by urinary organic acid analysis with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and biotinidase assay on dried blood spots. Biotin was supplemented individually (10-40 mg/d). Their clinical features, laboratory findings, and treatment regimen were reviewed., Results: All the 6 patients presented with some extent of neurological abnormalities and dermatological lesions. Cases 1 - 3 had poor feeding, vomiting, seizures, mental retardation, and lethargy onset from their early infancy, with varied degree of anemia, ketosis, acidosis, and hypoglycemia. Case 2 exhibited eczema and dermatitis from his age of 7 months. Case 4 displayed motor deficit and ataxia after 6 months of age, and generalized pustular psoriasis when he was 8 months old. Cases 5 and 6 gradually showed muscle weakness and paraplegia at the age of 7 years and 5 years, respectively. Inflammatory demyelination changes of cervical cord were evident on magnetic resonance imaging in these two patients. Case 6 had progressive optic atrophy, eczema and alopecia. Remarkable elevations of urinary lactate, pyruvate, 3-OH-propionate, methylcitrate, propionylglycine, 3-OH-isovalerate, 3-methylcrontonylglycine were confirmed in cases 1, 2, 3 and 5. Slight increase of urinary lactate, pyruvate, and 3-methylcrontonylglycine was observed in cases 4 and 6. Biotinidase activities assayed on dried blood spots from all the patients were below 0.1 pmol/(min.3 mm) Biotin supplementation for all the patients, except for case 3 who was not treated, resulted in pronounced and rapid clinical and biochemical improvement. Cases 4 and 6 had residual neurological damage comprising ataxia and motor handicap of legs, due to prolonged disease course., Conclusions: Biotinidase deficiency intensively impairs nervous system and skin in the affected patients. Urinary organic acid analysis and blood biotinidase assay are crucial to the diagnosis. Early diagnosis and biotin supplementation can contribute significantly to the improvement of prognosis.